Aerosol dispensing valve

ABSTRACT

This disclosure relates to an aerosol dispensing valve which includes a housing having upper and lower axially spaced apertured walls with a tubular stem mounted for axial motion therewithin, a first open end of the tubular stem being seated upon the lower wall aperture and a second end remote from the first end being closed by an end wall, a venting and dispensing port in the tubular stem between the first and second ends of the tubular stem, sealing means normally closing the port, a dispensing nozzle surrounding the tubular stem second end, and means normally biasing the sealing means against a shoulder of the dispensing nozzle and into seating relationship with the port whereby the port is normally closed yet can be opened and vented to atmosphere by axial motion of the tubular stem under the influence of a pressurized medium from an associated container acting against the tubular stem closed end wall.

United States Patent [1 Frankenberg Mar. 11, 1975 AEROSOL DISPENSING VALVE [73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, NY.

22 Filed: May 17, 1974 21 Appl. No.: 470,977

[52] U.S. Cl 222/397, 222/402.24, 251/353 [51] Int. Cl B65d 83/14 [58] Field of Search 222/402.24, 397; 251/354,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,005,577 10/1961 Webster 222/397 3,195,787 7/1965 Kitabayashi..... 222/402.24

3,270,924 9/1966 Kitabayashi 251/353 X 3,741,445 6/1973 Green 222/397 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 342,178 12/1959 Switzerland 239/573 Primary Examiner-Stanley H. Tollberg Assistant Examiner-John P. Shannon Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Diller, Brown, Ramik & Wight 57] ABSTRACT This disclosure relates to an aerosol dispensing valve which includes a housing having upper and lower axially spaced apertured walls with a tubular stem mounted for axial motion therewithin, a first open end of the tubular stem being seated upon the lower wall aperture and a second end remote from the first end being closed by an end wall, a venting and dispensing port in the tubular stem between the first and second ends of the tubular stem, sealing means normally closing the port, a dispensing nozzle surrounding the tubular stem second end, and means normally biasing the sealing ,means against a shoulder of the dispensing nozzle and into seating relationship with the port' whereby the port is normally closed yet can be opened and vented to atmosphere by axial motion of the tubular stem under the influenceof a pressurized medium from an associated container acting against the tubular stem closed end wall.

8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures o "IIIIIIIIIIII/ AEROSOL DISPENSING VALVE A novel aerosol dispensing valve constructed in accordance with this invention is designed specifically for simplicity of construction, ease of operation, long life, and low cost. In accordance with these objectives the aerosol dispensing valve includes a housing having upper. and lower axially spaced apertured walls through which an upper one of which projects a tubular stem having a first closed end, a second open end and a port therebetween, and sealing means biased against a shoulder of the nozzle normally to close the port yet being moved out of sealing contact with the port upon the depression of the nozzle whereby the interior of the container associated with the valve may be vented to atmosphere under the influence of a pressurized medium acting against a closed end wall of the tubular stem.

The sealing means is preferably an annular resilient gasket and the biasing means is a spring encircling the tubular stem between a washer beneath the annular gasket and a flange at an end of the tubular stem opposite the closed end wall thereof. 2

With the above and other objects in view that will hereinafter appear, the nature of the invention will be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description, the appended claimed subject matter, and the several views illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

IN THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a novel aerosol dispensing valve constructed in accordance with this invention, and illustrates the valve generally seated within a housing which is in turn secured to a valve cup of an aerosol container.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary enlarged sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1, and more clearly illustrates details of the dispensing valve including an annular gasket sealing ports in a tubular stem having opposite respectively closed and open ends.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of the drawing, and illustrates the manner in which a dispensing nozzle of the valve is depressed in order that pressurized contents may be admitted to atmosphere through the tubular stem, the radial ports, and the dispensing nozzle.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of the aerosol dispensing valve of FIG. 2, but in this case illustrates the manner in which excessive pressure within the associated container causes the stem to move upwardly thus opening the radial ports thereof and permitting the pressurized fluid to vent to atmosphere through the dispensing nozzle.

A novel aerosol dispensing valve constructed in accordance with this invention is generally designated by the reference numeral 10, and as is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the dispensing valve includes a housing 11 having an upper wall 12 (FIG. 2) apertured at 13, a lower wall 14 apertured at 15, and a side wall 16. The walls 12 and 13 are contoured generally to the configu ration of an upper end portion 17 of a valve cup 18 having a bead and sealing material 21. The bead 20 retains the housing 11 within the upper portion 17 of the valve cup 18. The valve cup 18 is, of course, secured by a conventional double seam 19 or the like to a dispensing container 22 which may be pressurized internally with an admixed product in powder or liquid form. Though the product is not illustrated, it is to be understood that the same may be packaged directly within the container 22 or within a collapsible bag or the like of a conventional construction housed within the interior of the container 22 and, if desired, having an upper open end clamped between the upper portion 17 of the valve cup 18 and the housing 11.

The dispensing valve 10 includes a dispensing nozzle 23 of a tubular configuration to the top end portion (unnumbered) of which may be secured a dispensing cap 25 having a dispensing orifice 26. The dispensing nozzle 23 is tubular and internally of a lower end portion thereof is a circumferential radially inwardly directed flange 27 defining a bore 28. A lower annular shoulder 30 of the dispensing nozzle 23 is in axially opposed relationship to the lower wall 14 of the housing 11 and includes as an integral projection thereof a peripheral terminal skirt 31.

A generally tubular stem 32 has a lower flanged end portion 33 which is open and is in alignmentwith the aperture or bore 15 of the lower wall 15. An upper end portion of the tubular stem 32 terminates in a closed end wall 34, and intermediate the ends 33, 34 are a plurality of peripherally spaced ports or bores 35 (FIG. 4) formed in the cylindrical wall (unnumbered) of the tubular stem 32. In the nondispensing, nonventing and closed position (FIG-2) of the dispensing valve 10 an annular resilient sealing gasket or sealing means 36 is forced into the ports 35 closing the same and forming a hermetic seal under the influence of a compression spring 37 sandwiched between the flange 33 of the tubular stem 32 and an annular washer 38 underlying the sealing means 36.

Under normal conditions with a pressurized medium within the container 22 the annular seal 36 closes the ports 35 and prevents the material within the container 22 from being dispensed under pressure to atmosphere. If, however, one desires to dispense such pressurized media the cap 25 is depressed downwardly resulting in the nozzle 23 moving downwardly which carries therewith the annular seal 36 and the annular washer 38 against the biasing force of the spring 37 whereupon the ports 35 are opened in the manner shown in FIG. 3 at which time material will flow to atmosphere through the aperture 15 of the end wall 14, the interior of the tubular stem 32, the ports 35 thereof, and the interior of the nozzle 23 as well as the eventual dispensing orifice 26 (FIG. 1) of the cap 25.

Should undesired excessive pressure build up internally of the container 22 the same acts forcefully in the direction of the headed arrow F of FIG. 4 against the end wall 34 of the tubular stem 32 resulting in the latter being raised against the biasing force of the spring 37. As the tubular stem 32 is raised the ports 35 thereof likewise raise upwardly whereupon the same are opened as the seal 36 is deflected by the shoulders or flanges 27 in the manner shown in FIG. 4. Upon a decrease of internal pressure the spring 37 will, of course, act against the flange 33 to cause the tubular stem 32 to descend to the position shown in FIG. 2 and thus permit subsequent normal dispensing operations.

While preferred forms and arrangements of parts have been shown in illustrating the invention, it is to be clearly understood that various changes in details and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. An aerosol dispensing valve comprising a valve housing having upper and lower axially spaced walls, an aperture in each wall, a tubular stem having axially opposite ends, a first open end of said tubular stem being seated upon said lower wall aperture with said lower wall aperture and an interior chamber of said tubular stem being in fluid communication, a second end remote from said first end being closed by an end wall, a venting and dispensing port in said tubular stem between said first and second ends thereof, sealing means normally closing said port, a dispensing nozzle surrounding said tubular stem second end, said dispensing nozzle having a shoulder, and means normally biasing said sealing means against said shoulder and into seating relationship with said port whereby said port is normally closed yet can be opened and vented to atmosphere by axial motion of said tubular stem under the influence of a pressurized medium acting against said tubular stem end wall.

2. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular stem second end is flanged, and said biasing means is in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem and is also sandwiched between said flanged end and said sealing means.

3. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein an annular member is in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem and is further sandwiched between said flanged end and said sealing means.

4. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said sealing means is an annular resilient seal in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem.

5. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 3 wherein said sealing means is an annular resilient seal in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem.

6. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said dispensing nozzle includes a terminal peripheral skirt projecting beyond said shoulder toward said lower valve housing wall, and said sealing means is housed within said peripheral skirt.

7. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 3 wherein said dispensing nozzle includes a terminal peripheral skirt projecting beyond said shoulder toward said lower valve housing wall, and said sealing means is housed within said peripheral skirt.

8. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 4 wherein said dispensing nozzle includes a terminal peripheral skirt projecting beyond said shoulder toward said lower valve housing wall, and said sealing means is housed within said peripheral skirt. 

1. An aerosol dispensing valve comprising a valve housing having upper and lower axially spaced walls, an aperture in each wall, a tubular stem having axially opposite ends, a first open end of said tubular stem being seated upon said lower wall aperture with said lower wall aperture and an interior chamber of said tubular stem being in fluid communication, a second end remote from said first end being closed by an end wall, a venting and dispensing port in said tubular stem between said first and second ends thereof, sealing means normally closing said port, a dispensing nozzle surrounding said tubular stem second end, said dispensing nozzle having a shoulder, and means normally biasing said sealing means against said shoulder and into seating relationship with said port whereby said port is normally closed yet can be opened and vented to atmosphere by axial motion of said tubular stem under the influence of a pressurized medium acting against said tubular stem end wall.
 1. An aerosol dispensing valve comprising a valve housing having upper and lower axially spaced walls, an aperture in each wall, a tubular stem having axially opposite ends, a first open end of said tubular stem being seated upon said lower wall aperture with said lower wall aperture and an interior chamber of said tubular stem being in fluid communication, a second end remote from said first end being closed by an end wall, a venting and dispensing port in said tubular stem between said first and second ends thereof, sealing means normally closing said port, a dispensing nozzle surrounding said tubular stem second end, said dispensing nozzle having a shoulder, and means normally biasing said sealing means against said shoulder and into seating relationship with said port whereby said port is normally closed yet can be opened and vented to atmosphere by axial motion of said tubular stem under the influence of a pressurized medium acting against said tubular stem end wall.
 2. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 1 wherein said tubular stem second end is flanged, and said biasing means is in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem and is also sandwiched between said flanged end and said sealing means.
 3. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein an annular member is in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem and is further sandwiched between said flanged end and said sealing means.
 4. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said sealing means is an annular resilient seal in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem.
 5. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 3 wherein said sealing means is an annular resilient seal in external surrounding relationship to said tubular stem.
 6. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 2 wherein said dispensing nozzle includes a terminal peripheral skirt projecting beyond said shoulder toward said lower valve housing wall, and said sealing means is housed within said peripheral skirt.
 7. The aerosol dispensing valve as defined in claim 3 wherein said dispensing nozzle includes a terminal peripheral skirt projecting beyond said shoulder toward said lower valve housing wall, and said sealing means is housed within said peripheral skirt. 